The Inaugural Doug Wade Shield, Sunday, 26 January 2025
While many were rocking to Wilbur Wilde on Australia Day elsewhere in Queenscliff, a group of past players from the Geelong & North Melbourne Football Clubs were on Swan Island, contesting the inaugural ‘Doug Wade Shield’… Doug of course a former champion and premiership player with both clubs, and one of only 5 men to kick over 1000 goals in VFL/AFL history.
With 4 x 4BBB matches being played, it was the Kangaroos who now have bragging rights until next year’s event, winning the match play team event 3.5 points to 0.5 point. In the first match Alistair Clarkson/Mark Brayshaw (NM) came from 2-down after 10 holes to defeat Geoff Miles/Marty Christensen (GEEL) 3&1. Xavier Tanner/Ross Henshaw (NM) victors over Peter Doyle/Greg Wells (GEEL) 4&2, and Darren Steele/Dale Holmes (NM) also winning against Barry Stoneham/Darren Forssman (GEEL) 2&1 in a tight contest. The Cats were saved from a complete whitewash as Peter Whyte/Scott Hosking managed to secure half a point on the 18th hole against Brendan Mutimer/Kristian Bardsley, with a birdie from ex-Cat Peter Whyte who muscled a 5-iron to within 3 feet on the last hole, and dropped the putt to halve the match.
The highlight of the day however was Doug Wade coming along and watching the players, and presenting the shield named in his honour to former 2-time premiership (1975 & 1977) NM team mate Ross Henshaw. All who played loved the Queenscliff course, and the ‘old school’ environment that we all enjoy in the QGC clubhouse. The Cats players will need to do a big pre-season to avenge defeat next year! A huge thanks to the staff at the club, and to Paul Sfetkidis & Tony Hodges for coming down early to cook some brekkie and sorting out lunch for the boys.
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